Long Term Evolution (LTE) is a mainstream communications technology. In comparison with second generation (2G) and third generation (3G) networks, LTE can provide a data service at a higher speed.
In LTE data services, uplink or downlink transmission of data packets of various data services takes place on a data transmission channel established from User Equipment (UE), an access network, and a core network to an external Packet Data Network (PDN). The data transmission channel is generally a default bearer or a dedicated bearer or a PDN connection.
To avoid an unnecessary data usage loss caused by factors such as a user misoperation or malicious software, a data service switch is set in most UEs, and used to enable or disable data service functions of the UEs. The data service switch may be turned off when a user does not need to perform a data service. The data service switch may be turned on when the user needs to perform a data service.
In the UE, turn-off of the data service switch is generally implemented using a software or hardware method to forbid sending data packets to a network side. Therefore, when the user turns off the data service switch of the UE, sending of uplink data packets of all data services on the UE is stopped. However, downlink data packets (for example, data packets that are not downloaded completely before the data service switch is turned off, or data packets of a push service) sent by the network side are still delivered on a data transmission channel to the UE.
In the foregoing implementation process of turning off the data service switch, the inventors find at least the following problem. After the data service switch of the UE is turned off, only uplink data packets can be stopped, and no uplink data usage fee is generated for the UE. However, downlink data packets are still sent, and an unnecessary data usage fee may be generated for the UE, causing a problem of data usage waste.